Communication system for patient support apparatuses

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers, a display, a controller, and a near field transceiver. The controller is adapted to automatically associate an object with the patient support apparatus when the object is positioned within communication range of the near field transceiver; to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the plurality of ultra-wideband transceivers and the object to determine a position of the object relative to the patient support apparatus; to determine if the object is positioned inside or outside of a volume of space; to automatically disassociate the object from the patient support apparatus if the object is outside the volume of space; to forward and/or display data from the object if it is associated; and to not forward and/or display data if it is disassociated. The object may be a nurse call device, an exit detection sensor, a second patient support apparatus, etc.

1 . A patient support apparatus comprising:
 a support surface adapted to support a patient;   a first transceiver coupled to a first location on the patient support apparatus;   a second transceiver coupled to a second location on the patient support apparatus;   a third transceiver coupled to a third location on the patient support apparatus; and   a controller adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the first, second, and third transceivers and an exit detection sensor to determine a position of the exit detection sensor relative to the patient support apparatus, the controller further adapted to receive an exit detection alert signal from the exit detection sensor; to determine if the exit detection sensor is positioned inside or outside of a volume of space; and, if the exit detection sensor is positioned inside the volume of space, to transmit an exit detection alert to an off-board recipient in response to receiving the exit detection alert signal from the exit detection sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a nurse call system interface adapted to communicate with a nurse call system outlet integrated into a wall of a healthcare facility, wherein the nurse call system outlet includes a plurality of electrical pins and wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the exit detection alert to the off-board recipient by changing an electrical state of a pin of the nurse call system outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the nurse call system interface is adapted to communicate with the nurse call system outlet by wireless or wired communication. 
     
     
         4 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the first, second, and third transceivers and a second patient support apparatus to determine if the second patient support apparatus is positioned inside or outside of a second volume of space. 
     
     
         5 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the exit detection sensor includes a pressure sensing pad adapted to be positioned underneath the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the pressure sensing pad is adapted to be removable from the patient support apparatus and positioned on a support surface of second patient support apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband transceivers. 
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further adapted, if the exit detection sensor is positioned outside the volume of space, to not transmit the exit detection alert to the off-board recipient in response to receiving the exit detection alert signal from the exit detection sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is further adapted to use RF communication between the first, second, and third transceivers and a fixed locator to determine a position of the patient support apparatus relative to the fixed locator. 
     
     
         12 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the controller is further adapted to receive an identifier from the fixed locator, to determine if the patient support apparatus is positioned within a threshold distance to the fixed locator, and to forward the fixed locator identifier to a server if the patient support apparatus is positioned within the threshold distance. 
     
     
         13 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A patient support apparatus comprising:
 a support surface adapted to support a patient;   a display;   a first transceiver coupled to a first location on the patient support apparatus;   a second transceiver coupled to a second location on the patient support apparatus;   a third transceiver coupled to a third location on the patient support apparatus; and   a controller adapted to use radio frequency (RF) communication between the first, second, and third transceivers and a second patient support apparatus to determine a position of the second patient support apparatus relative to the patient support apparatus; wherein the controller is further adapted to determine if the second patient support apparatus is positioned inside or outside of a volume of space; to receive data from the second patient support apparatus;   and, if the second patient support apparatus is positioned inside the volume of space, to perform at least one of the following: to forward the data to an off-board recipient, or to display the data on the display.   
     
     
         29 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the controller is further adapted to receive an ID from the second patient support apparatus, to check to see if the ID matches a criterion, to forward the data to the off-board recipient if the ID matches the criterion and the second patient support apparatus is positioned inside the volume of space, and to not forward the data to the off-board recipient if the ID does not match the criterion. 
     
     
         30 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the data includes an exit detection alert signal. 
     
     
         31 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the patient support apparatus is a bed and the second patient support apparatus is a recliner. 
     
     
         32 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 30  further comprising a nurse call system interface adapted to communicate with a nurse call system outlet integrated into a wall of a healthcare facility, wherein the nurse call outlet includes a plurality of electrical pins and wherein the controller is adapted to respond to the exit detection alert signal by changing an electrical state of a pin of the nurse call system outlet. 
     
     
         33 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 32  wherein the nurse call system interface is adapted to communicate with the nurse call system outlet by wireless or wired communication. 
     
     
         34 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the data includes at least one of the following: a brake status of the second patient support apparatus, a lock status of a lock of the second patient support apparatus, an angle of a component of the second patient support apparatus, an error message, or an occupancy detection signal. 
     
     
         35 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 30  wherein the second patient support apparatus includes an exit detection sensor that includes a pressure sensing pad adapted to be positioned underneath the patient. 
     
     
         36 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 35  wherein the pressure sensing pad is adapted to be removable from the second patient support apparatus and positioned on a support surface of another patient support apparatus. 
     
     
         37 . The patient support apparatus of  claim 28  wherein the first transceiver, the second transceiver, and the third transceiver are all ultra-wideband transceivers. 
     
     
         38 - 101 . (canceled)